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Health & Fitness

Let it snow...

It's no secret that New Englanders get their fare share of snow. Even though snow is not a surprise, as the snow piles up, prospective snow shovelers all around New England let out a collective groan.

Shoveling can be excellent exercise, but it can also bring with it aches and pains in the hours and days that follow. Shoveling can wreak havoc on your lower back and shoulders and you may not feel it until the next day. Here are some self-care massage tips to alleviate some of the pain:

1. Before snow shoveling, try warming up! Doing some light walking in place and very gentle stretching prior to picking up the shovel can help ward off pain later.

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2. During snow shoveling, lift heavy snow using your knees (like a reverse squat exercise) instead of your shoulders and back. Take frequent breaks to avoid strain.

3. After shoveling, try cooling down as you warm up! Once you have come inside, give your muscles a stretch once again. Make sure afterward not to go back inside, straight to the couch. Stretch the areas you used like your legs, low back, and arms.

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4. Once you have stretched and rested, you can address areas like sore hands from gripping the shovel by using your opposite hand to grasp and rub at the base of the thumb, down each finger, and at the wrist.

5. If you have sore feet, you can try soaking your feet in warm water or rolling them within your tolerance over reflexology foot massage balls. Add a sugar foot scrub to your next massage session.

6. Lastly, for a sore back, neck or shoulders, you can take a warm shower and allow the water to run over the sore areas. You can also apply moist heat with a microwavable heat pack to soothe sore areas of the back or neck.

Practice these tips and make sure to visit: Massage Envy Spa 750 Memorial Dr. across from Trader Joe’s Cambridge, MA (617) 234-0007 and Massage Envy Spa 310 Daniel Webster Hwy Nashua, NH at the Pheasant Lane Mall, next to Target (603) 598-4400 and schedule a session with one of our Licensed Massage Therapists who can concentrate on those areas that bring you pain. Always make sure to tell your massage therapist that you have been shoveling snow, which will help him or her to devise an appropriate plan for your massage.

Please note: If you shovel snow and are in severe pain, feel tightness in your chest, or just “don’t feel right,” go to the doctor immediately. These tips never replace a doctor’s medical advice or care.

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